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Productivity Growth and Machinery Investment: A Long-Run Look, 1870–1980

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  • De Long, J. Bradford

Abstract

Over the past century in six major economies, economic growth has been strongly associated with machinery investment, as is the case for a larger group of nations since 1950. Both macroeconomic patterns and narratives of the history of technology suggest that this association is causal—that a high rate of machinery investment appears to be a necessary prerequisite for rapid long-run growth—and points away from possibilities that rapid growth is the cause of high machinery investment or that a high rate of machinery investment is a good proxy for other factors that are important causes of growth.

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  • De Long, J. Bradford, 1992. "Productivity Growth and Machinery Investment: A Long-Run Look, 1870–1980," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 52(2), pages 307-324, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jechis:v:52:y:1992:i:02:p:307-324_01
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    Cited by:

    1. Jakob B. Madsen, 2005. "A Century Of Economic Growth: The Social Returns To Investment In Equipment And Structures," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 73(1), pages 101-122, January.
    2. Schulze, Max-Stephan, 2005. "An estimate of imperial Austria’s gross domestic fixed capital stock, 1870-1913: methods, sources and results," Economic History Working Papers 22325, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Economic History.
    3. Hernando Zuleta, 2012. "Seasonal Fluctuations And Economic Growth," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 37(4), pages 1-27, December.
    4. Vonyo, Tamas & Klein, Alexander, 2016. "Why Did Socialism Fail? The Role of Factor Inputs Reconsidered," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 276, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    5. D J Jin & R R Stough, 1998. "Learning and Learning Capability in the Fordist and Post-Fordist Age: An Integrative Framework," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 30(7), pages 1255-1278, July.
    6. Carlos Esteban Posada & Jorge Andres Tamayo, 2008. "La transición hacia una economía urbana y el aumento del producto per cápita: el caso colombiano del siglo XX desde la perspectiva de Lucas," Borradores de Economia 534, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    7. Tamás Vonyó & Alexander Klein, 2019. "Why did socialist economies fail? The role of factor inputs reconsidered," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 72(1), pages 317-345, February.
    8. Robert Shackelton, 2013. "Total Factor Productivity Growth in Historical Perspective: Working Paper 2013-01," Working Papers 44002, Congressional Budget Office.
    9. Giroletti, Domingos & Schulze, Max-Stephan & Sudri, Carles, 1994. "Late economic development in a regional context," Economic History Working Papers 22434, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Economic History.
    10. Alan M. Taylor, 1996. "On the Costs of Inward-Looking Development: Historical Perspectives on Price Distortions, Growth, and Divergence in Latin American from 1930s - 1980s," NBER Working Papers 5432, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Jeffrey G. Williamson, 2011. "Industrial Catching Up in the Poor Periphery 1870-1975," NBER Working Papers 16809, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Farhadi, Minoo, 2015. "Transport infrastructure and long-run economic growth in OECD countries," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 73-90.
    13. Williamson, Jeffrey G., 2011. "Industrial Catching Up in the Poor Periphery 1870-1975," CEPR Discussion Papers 8335, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    14. Ikonomou, Constantinos, 2023. "Another View on Growth Matters: Investment, Capital, and Solow Residual," MPRA Paper 119003, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Rensman, Marieke, 1996. "Economic growth and technological change in the long run : a survey of theoretical and empirical literature," Research Report 96C10, University of Groningen, Research Institute SOM (Systems, Organisations and Management).
    16. repec:dgr:rugsom:96c10 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Vytautas Tvaronavičius & Manuela Tvaronavičiene, 2007. "Role of fixed investments in economic growth of country: Lithuania in European context," Journal of Business Economics and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 57-64, December.
    18. Temple, Jonathan & Voth, Hans-Joachim, 1998. "Human capital, equipment investment, and industrialization," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(7), pages 1343-1362, July.
    19. Díaz-Bonilla, Eugenio & Piñeiro, Valeria & Elverdin, Pablo, 2016. "External shocks, food security, and development: Exploring scenarios for Central America," IFPRI discussion papers 1592, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    20. Broadberry, S. N., 1995. "Comparative productivity levels in manufacturing since the Industrial Revolution: Lessons from Britain, America, Germany and Japan," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 71-95, March.
    21. Hossein Jalilian & Matthew Odedokun, 2000. "Equipment and non-equipment private investment: a generalized Solow model," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(3), pages 289-296.
    22. Kusz, Dariusz & Zając, Stanisław & Dziekan, Ryszard, 2020. "Regional Diversification Of Investment Outlays And Labour Profitability In Agriculture In Poland," Roczniki (Annals), Polish Association of Agricultural Economists and Agribusiness - Stowarzyszenie Ekonomistow Rolnictwa e Agrobiznesu (SERiA), vol. 2020(4).

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